Manchester bids for green transport grant

Transport chiefs in Manchester have unveiled plans for a multimillion-pound green transport revolution.

The Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) is hoping to secure £29 million of government funding to transform the city centre into the country's first 'sustainable travel city'.

If successful, Manchester city will be populated with charging stations for electric cars, in a move it is hoped will persuade residents to ditch petrol cars for a more environmentally-friendly electric vehicle.

Cllr Keith Whitmore, chairman of GMITA, said: "Our plans would make Greater Manchester a national leader in sustainable travel and could lead to 13 million more journeys being made on the region's buses, trains and trams each year.

"It's an incredibly exciting package that provides the right blend of initiatives and incentives for creating a big change in they way we travel."

Manchester will face competition from nine other regions in England for the Department for Transport funding, including West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Nottingham and Leicester.

The region awarded the funding is expected to is expected to be announced in September.

The department has also announced plans to award up to £3 million to a smaller local authority to launch further green travel initiatives.

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